A severely disabled man has launched the first Court of Appeal battle of its type following 'savage' cuts in care funding vulnerable people say they are suffering across the country.

Wheelchair users joined a protest outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London as Luke Davey, 41, challenged Oxfordshire County Council's decision to reduce his weekly personal budget by 42 per cent.

Three appeal judges were told Burcot resident Mr Davey, who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy and is registered blind, faces "a significant risk to his well being" because of the reductions.

The case is being seen as an opportunity to clarify whether provisions of the Care Act 2014 are being properly applied by local authorities.

Mr Davey, who was in court in his wheelchair, says in his case the law is being breached by Oxfordshire council.

Even after he agreed to modifications, his reduced budget is still not enough to fund the team of personal assistants who have cared for him for nearly 20 years, the judges were told.

Critics are blaming the problems severely disabled people report facing on the Government's decision to axe the independent living fund (ILF) which previously enabled thousands of claimants to live independently through ILF money plus assistance from their local authorities.

After the ILF was abolished in 2015, the money and sole responsibility for care funding were transferred to the local authorities.

In court, the judges heard Mr Davey requires assistance with all of his personal care needs and was helped by a team of personal assistants funded by a 24 hours-a-day care package costing £1,651 per week.

The Independent Living Fund provided £730 of that total.

When the ILF closed, Oxfordshire council proposed reducing his personal budget to £950 per week.

Jamie Burton, appearing for Mr Davey, said he had essentially the same team of personal assistants for nearly 20 years who knew him very well and contributed to his sense of well being.

The local authority decided he could spend 6.5 hours alone each day and he could reduce the amount he paid to his carers.

That posed the risk of Mr Davey suffering anxiety when left alone and also losing his care team.

He had since agreed to spend four hours alone and negotiated with his team to accept some, but not all, of the proposed reductions in their terms and conditions of employment.

But this still left a shortfall in his budget and his mother, Jasmine, who is aged 76 and has cancer, was having to fill the gaps in providing his care, said Mr Burton.

Oxfordshire County Council said it would not comment while the case is on-going.